Thill-coupling



(No Model.)

R. H. WILSON.

THILL COUPLING. No. 338,008. Patented Mar. 16, 1886.

lmhuml'lmnm mull 3n I vmc'n Foz fimmwmm 951 affozucls g I I Tcombination of parts, as will be hereinafter UNITED STATES PATENT@rrrcn.

ROBERT H. \VILSON, OF MONTEZUMA, INDIANA.

THlLL-COUPLING.

EPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 338,008, dated March16, 1886.

Serial No. 183,072. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern Be it known that I, ROBERT H. WILsoN, acitizen of the United States,residing at Montezuma, in the county ofParke and State of Indiana,haveinvented a new and useful Improve ment inThill-Oouplings, of which the following is a specification, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to l hill-couplings, and especiall'yto that classin which a spring-actuated bolt is provided on one side of the drawirons to engage the eye of the thill-iron and connect the latter to thedrawirons.

The object of the present invention is to provide an inclosing cylinderor case for the reception of the bolt and its spring, and also toprovide means by which the improvement may be applied to the old form ofthill-couplings without any material change in the construction of theparts.

lVith these objects in view thesaid invention consists in the peculiarconstruction and set forth, and particularly pointed out in the claim.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a plan view of an ordinaryform of thill-coupling with my improvement applied thereto. Fig. 2 is atransverse section on the line a: as, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail view oftheinclosing case or cylinder.

Like letters are used to indicate corresponding parts in the severalfigures.

Referring to the drawings, A designates a portion of the axle, B theclip, 0 the drawirons, perforated at a, and D the thill-irons, saidparts being constructed in the usual manner, and therefore need nospecial description here.

E designates the inclosing case or cylinder, one end of which is closedand perforated at b, and the other end is left open and its peripherynotched or cut out, as at d, to allow the open end of the cylinder tofit around and outside one of the draw-irons (1. Holes 6 are provided atsuitable points along the periphery of the cylinder E at the open endthereof,.to align with similar threaded holes in the drawirons 0, screwsf working through the holes to bind the cylinder in position, and yetallow its detachment at will.

G designates the spring-actuated bolt, having at an intermediate pointof its length an annular flange, which is adapted to abut against one ofthe draw-irons to limit the movement of the bolt. On one side of theflange is provided an annular collar, h, smaller in diameter than theflange, one end of the spring H, which is coiled around the bolt G,fitting around the collar h and bearing against the flange g. The otherend of the spring bears against the closed end of the cylinder E. Thebolt G extends through the perforation b of the cylinder E, and isprovided with an operating knob or handle, i. From the flange g the boltG extends laterally through the perforations a of the draw-irons G andthrough the eye of the thill-iron D, so as to connect the partstogether.

In operation, the spring H bears against the flange g, so as to retainthe bolt G in its extended position and connecting the thill to thedraw-irons. The bolt G serves as a bearing for the thill-iron, to allowthe vertical movement of the shafts, as will 'be readily understood.When it is desired to detach the thills from the axle, theoperating-knob t is drawn upon and the bolt G slid back until its outerend becomes disengaged from the eye in the thill-iron, when the shaftsmay be taken off. As soon as the hand is removed from the knob tofthebolt G,the spring,which was compressed by the former movement, nowexerts its power and returns the bolt G to its former position.

In defining the nature and scope of my invention, I would have itunderstood that a spring-pressed bolt for connecting the thill to thedraw iron is not broadly new, and hence I do not wish to be understoodas claiming the same.

The particular feature of this invention resides in thedetaehableinelosing cylinder or case to receive the spring and the bolt,and there by not only guiding the bolt in its move ments, but holdingthe parts from working out of order, excluding dust and other foreignmatter, and concealing the parts from view, which will in a measureprevent others from tampering with the coupling.

The peculiar detachable connection of the cylinder with one of thedraw-irons enables me to apply my improvement to the old form ofthill-ooupling bymerely Withdrawing the ated bolt working in thecylinder through the bolt and nut of the latter and inserting in lieudraw-irons, as set forth. I thereof my improvement, as herein shown andIn testimony that I claim the foregoing as described. my own I havehereto aflixed my signature in 5 Iaving described my invention, I claimpresence of two Witnesses.

n combination with the draw-irons of the hollow cylinder or case,notched or cut out at ROBERT WILSON its open end to fit over one of theeyes of the WVitnesses: draw-irons, screws or the like to hold the cyl-STEPHEN SYLvEsTER, 1o inder to the latter, and a straight spring actu-Hermon B. GRIFFITH.

